Every second can make the difference in the outcome of a basketball game. The Pioneers made sure they made a few pivotal seconds count while staying unbeaten in district play at Columbia.

A four-point flurry in four seconds to end the first half and a deep 3-pointer from Devin Fish to beat the third-quarter horn proved to be difference makers as Warren County beat the Lions 57-50 on the road. The Pioneers moved to 5-0 in District 9-4A and won pushed their winning streak to 10 games with a the gritty performance.

Saddled with major foul trouble most of the night, the Pioneers had to find a way to win in the margins. Getting a breakout game from sophomore Canaan Parris (10 points off the bench) helped in a big way, as did the team’s finishes in the second and third quarter.

Warren County (14-3) was trying to nurse a lead into halftime with largely a reserve group to end the second quarter, but instead Isaiah Robledo and Parris made it a strong flourish in four seconds. Robledo was fouled on a corner 3-pointer, sending him to the line for three shots. He swished the first two, but missed the third, only to see Parris snare the rebound and hit a floater before the buzzer as Warren County went up 30-23.

Columbia tried to get back some of the momentum in the third, including getting a big group of free throws in the final 15 seconds after an intentional foul was called on the Pioneers, but Fish wouldn’t let his team go into the fourth reeling.

The junior swished a 30-footer before the buzzer, keeping Warren County ahead 48-37 and highlighting a 15-point performance.

Corban Felton took care the lead in the final minute, knocking down four straight free throws as the Lions never were able to get the game to a one-possession game. Felton finished with 11 points and started the game in what has become customary for the Pioneers as he connected with an alley-oop with Keyton Reno in the first minute.

Reno finished with nine points, followed by Deashawn Adams with five. Nathan Turner teamed up with Fish to hit back-to-back triples in the second quarter to push the Pioneer lead to double figures early, while Robledo ended the night with four points. 

Warren County will be back at home Monday against DeKalb County looking for 11 wins in a row. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.